YOU DON’T NEED A LOT OF STUFF, JUST A FEW GOOD-QUALITY ITEMS.
When it comes to cleaning our homes, most of us are self-taught. But there are people who specialize in this work; you can adopt their professional hacks to make cleaning tasks quicker and easier.
Our homes never cease to get dirty, so we’ll always need to clean. The right equipment can make the job much easier. You don’t need a lot of stuff, just a few good-quality items and the right cleaning products for the job.
YOU DON’T NEED A LOT OF STUFF, JUST A FEW GOOD-QUALITY ITEMS.
Plenty of soft cleaning cloths, preferably cotton, which you can also use for dusting. Choose cloths that can be machine-washed and reused.
A supply of old towels you no longer use. Put towels down for jobs where dirty water may fall on the floor, such as cleaning doors. Towels are better for this job than newspaper.
A bucket of warm water with a splash of dishwashing liquid or another all-purpose cleaning product is good for most jobs.
A window-cleaning tool with a squeegee blade – also useful for mirrors and other glass surfaces.
If you have pets that shed hair on your upholstered furniture, you will definitely need a lint roller (preferably the adhesive kind) and a brush attachment for your vacuum cleaner.
A mop for wet or dry use on floors. Opt for a design that comes with a matching bucket to rinse and wring out the mop. Also check if the mophead can be removed, machine-washed, and replaced as needed. The handle should be comfortable to hold and adjustable to suit your height.
An alternative for cleaning floors is a long-handled scrubbing brush with a cloth that wraps around the head. As with a mop, look for one that has an adjustable handle and replacement cloths that are readily available.
A broom and a dustpan and brush for sweeping jobs. Choose a broom that is not too heavy. When choosing a dustpan, have a close look at its leading edge to be sure it will scoop up dust easily.
There are two basic kinds of vacuum cleaners: those with bags and those without. Bagless cleaners generally cost more and are noisier, but they work out to be better value in the long run. Cleaners with bags lose suction as they fill up, and the cost of replacement bags does add up over time. In addition to your main vacuum cleaner, it’s useful to have a powerful handheld vacuum (preferably bagless as well). Choose machines that are easy to empty and have additional filters for the outflowing air.
Easy fix
When cleaning decorative features and carved surfaces, use a wooden skewer or toothpick to get into fine grooves.
Save money
For removing dirt from hard-to-reach nooks and crannies, an old toothbrush does just as good a job as a special cleaning brush.
There is a wide range of cleaning products on the market that are designed to take on all kinds of jobs. Normally, you only need to use a small amount.
A good-quality all-purpose cleaning product is fine for most cleaning jobs. For day-to-day cleaning, use a small amount in a bucket of warm water. For tougher jobs, use hot water and add more product. Allow time for it to work on the surface before rinsing it off thoroughly. Putting the solution in a multipurpose spray bottle makes it easy to spray dirty surfaces with one hand and wipe off with a cleaning cloth in the other.
A handy descaling agent, citric acid is available from supermarkets as an inexpensive white powder. Dissolve a few teaspoons in hot water and add a little all-purpose cleaner if desired. Place the item to be cleaned in the solution and let stand, then rinse well to finish. Be careful not to inhale the citric acid powder or allow it to come into contact with your eyes.
A MULTIPURPOSE SPRAY BOTTLE MAKES IT EASY TO SPRAY DIRTY SURFACES.
Denatured alcohol is a useful general solvent for removing various kinds of residue, especially adhesive substances. Use a mixture of one part denatured alcohol to two parts warm water and a dash of all-purpose cleaner for cleaning your windows. Take care when working with denatured alcohol as it is flammable!
Washing soda (a common name for sodium carbonate) is good for tackling greasy messes. Dissolve a cup of washing soda in a quart of hot water and add a dash of all-purpose cleaner. You can use this solution on dirty dishes (such as soaking greasy pans), but it is also good for removing mold and as a drain cleaner. Wear rubber gloves when handling washing soda and take care to avoid contact with the eyes.
For specific jobs, you may wish to round out your cleaning product collection with a scouring cleanser, a specific product for tiles and the bathroom, and furniture polish. Buy a selection of plastic spray bottles to make it easier to use cleaning products in appropriate quantities.
Insider’s hack
Use cleaning products sparingly – using a lot doesn’t always give better results. Also protect your clothing, hands and face as many products contain harsh ingredients.
USE A SYSTEM OF FOUR COLORS FOR CLEANING CLOTHS, WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR FOR EACH AREA OF THE HOME.
TAKE CARE
Don’t mix different cleaning products together in an attempt to get better results. They are formulated to work best on their own. What’s worse, mixing products can cause hazardous chemical reactions, such as producing toxic chlorine gas.
Expert advice
An all-purpose cleaning agent
Some professional cleaners prefer to use a cleaning agent made from combining the following simple ingredients:
1 quart warm water
1 teaspoon delicate laundry detergent
1 teaspoon vinegar
Mix well to create plenty of suds and then use with a cleaning cloth.
Preventing a mess is better than cleaning it up afterwards. Avoid leaving windows open for too long to stop excessive dirt and dust from blowing in. Doormats outside and inside the front door will catch most of the dirt brought in from the street. Leave wet weather boots outside if possible.
Devise a cleaning plan for your whole house, with daily, weekly and monthly tasks. Make cleaning more fun by putting on some music – time will go by more quickly and you will probably do a more thorough job.
Start by clearing things away, and removing everything (if only temporarily) that might get in the way in the room you are about to clean. Keep a container handy to gather up things that are lying around so you can put them away later.
It’s annoying and a waste of time to always be looking for your cleaning gear or to go searching through other rooms to find things. Put all your regular cleaning items in a dedicated cleaning basket: cloths, dustpan and brush, squeegee for any glass, old toothbrush, rubber gloves, cleaning products and a plastic bag for any rubbish you pick up. When cleaning, take your broom, mop and vacuum cleaner with you as you move from one room to the next. If your home has more than one floor, it’s a good idea to have a separate set of cleaning gear on each floor.
No one likes the idea of the dining room table being wiped down with the same cloth you've just used to clean the bathroom. To prevent this, use a four-colored system for your cleaning cloths: reserve red for the toilet and surrounding floor and tiles; yellow for the rest of the bathroom including basin, bathtub, tiles and bathroom mirrors; keep green exclusively in the kitchen for the countertops, dishwasher and fridge; and blue for living areas, chairs, shelves, and so on.
Save time
Get the job done faster by using both hands whenever you can. For example, spray on a cleaning product with your left hand and wipe it off with your right.
Dusting can be one of the least satisfying cleaning jobs – because dust has a way of coming back so quickly. Here are ways to make the task easier and get the upper hand over household dust.
An old sock lightly sprayed with furniture polish is good for wiping dust off wood furniture.
Use clean, white cotton dusting cloths. Dampen them with soapy water or, for moisture-sensitive wood furniture, a small amount of furniture polish (a squirt from a spray bottle will do). Change to a fresh cloth frequently and wash in the machine. You can also buy single-use dust-attracting cloths. These are relatively expensive but are especially good for moisture-sensitive electronic devices. Take care with microfiber cloths as they can scratch delicate polished surfaces.
An old sock, worn like a glove and dampened with water or furniture polish, is good for dusting.
For baseboards and hard-to-reach areas, such as behind furniture, attach a cleaning cloth to your broom with elastic bands – no bending necessary!
BE SYSTEMATIC ABOUT CLEANING
1 Dress appropriately – wear an apron to help keep your clothes clean. Choose one with several pockets for cleaning cloths and other small items. Well-fitting rubber gloves will protect your skin from harsh cleaning products and grime. Put a little talcum powder or cornflour inside to make them easier to get on and off. Safety glasses will protect your eyes from stray squirts of cleaning product and knee pads will make it easier to tackle jobs down at floor level.
2 Clean up spills as soon as possible. Once mess starts to dry out, it takes longer and requires more effort to clean off. Always try gentle cleaning methods first, moving on to harsher products only when these don’t work.
3 Work from top to bottom and start with dry cleaning methods (dusting and sweeping) before moving on to wet wiping or mopping.
4 Read the labels on your cleaning products before use. The label will tell you how to use the product correctly and how much to use, and will warn you about any potential problems. When in doubt, test the product on an inconspicuous area first.
USE YOUR VACUUM CLEANER’S SOFT BRUSH ATTACHMENT TO CLEAN A WHOLE SHELF OF BOOKS IN ONE GO.
Wool dusters are good to avoid scratching delicate surfaces. They pick up dust and cobwebs in one go. A duster with a telescopic handle will save you from climbing on an unstable chair or ladder and risking an accident.
Move around the room slowly so as not to stir up dust unnecessarily and work from top to bottom. Start with light fixtures, lamps, picture frames and the top surfaces of tall furniture, then move on to surfaces at eye level and below. End with windowsills and baseboards.
Finish dusting with the vacuum cleaner. Vacuum upholstered furniture first, then baseboards and other pieces of furniture, and finally the floor, starting from the furthest corner of the room and working towards the door. To get the best results, go over each area with a series of vertical strokes followed by a series of horizontal ones. Don’t forget to use the crevice tool to get into edges and corners where dust and germs lurk.
Insider’s hack
Never use a cloth to dust books as you will only push the dust in between the pages. It’s better to blow the dust away (through an open window), then open the book and snap it shut to get rid of any dust inside. If this seems too laborious, use your vacuum cleaner’s soft brush attachment to clean a whole shelf of books at one time.
Save time
It’s extremely handy to have a powerful handheld vacuum cleaner sitting at the ready on its charging stand. Look for one with plenty of suction and don’t go for the cheapest option. Bagless models are best.
Expert advice
Hairdryer = dust buster A hairdryer can do more than blow-dry your hair. In fact, there is a whole range of uses for this humble household appliance. Use the cool air setting to blow dust off books, ornaments and other surfaces, and small objects. To prevent the dust from just being blown somewhere else inside, it’s best to use this technique at an open window or on a balcony.
High in vitamin C (ascorbic acid), lemons are not only good for you, they have a number of practical uses, too. The high acid content in lemons makes them handy for cleaning jobs. It’s with good reason that images of lemons are used to promote countless cleaning products.
NATURAL DESCALER
Use a cut lemon to rub accumulated dirt off bathtubs, mirrors and porcelain basins – the acid in the lemon breaks down the mineral scale that accumulates in hard-water areas. Where the build-up of scale is more severe, such as in a kettle or coffee machine, citric acid in powder form will do a better job – just be careful not to inhale this product or let it come into contact with your eyes! Dissolve the powder in warm water, leave to work for 30 minutes to an hour, then rinse thoroughly.
TOILET REFRESHER
Citric acid is also effective at removing scale deposits in the toilet caused by urine and hard water. Dissolve the powder in hot water and pour into the toilet bowl. Allow to work for a good length of time then flush clean.
Color STAIN REMOVER
The vitamin C content in lemons is able to remove certain kinds of colored stain. For instance, rubbing your hands with lemon juice can help remove stains from your fingers after peeling fruit or vegetables.
AIR FRESHENER
Adding a few drops of lemon juice to an air humidifier can improve the quality of the air in the room. Keeping a cut lemon in the fridge can also help reduce odors.
TAKE CARE
Under no circumstances should you use lemon on surfaces that are sensitive to acid. This includes marble and limestone tiles as well as some types of grout.